Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Adolescent Girls in Rural Upper Egypt
Suzan Mohamed Omar Mousa *
Department of Pediatrics, Children’s University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, El-Minya, Egypt
Salah Mahmoud Saleh
Department of Pediatrics, Children’s University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, El-Minya, Egypt
Aliaa Mohammed Monir Higazi
Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt
Hasnaa Ahmed Abdelnaeem Ali
Department of Pediatrics, Children’s University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, El-Minya, Egypt
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adolescents tends to increase with age due to acceleration of growth.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ID and IDA in adolescent girls in rural Upper Egypt.
Methods: 912 girls in 5 different village preparatory schools situated in El-Minya governorate at Upper Egypt were enrolled in the study. Complete blood count and serum ferritin were done to determine the prevalence of ID and IDA among them.
Results: Our study revealed 39.9% of the girls were anemic, the prevalence of IDA was 30.2% and that of ID without anemia was 11.4%.
Conclusions: ID, with or without anemia is still a major health problem in adolescent girls living in rural Upper Egypt.
Keywords: Adolescent girls, iron deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, Upper Egypt